Website to help navigate University City construction projects

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Association of Governments Wednesday unveiled a website that will help residents and workers navigate through University City, where numerous construction projects are scheduled over the next five years.

According to SANDAG, 50 major projects are in the pipeline for the Golden Triangle — the area bounded by Interstate 5, state Route 52 and the 805 freeway — and adjacent La Jolla neighborhoods.

Among them are the extension of the trolley’s Blue Line, widening of the Interstate 5-Genesee Avenue interchange and construction of high-rise apartment complexes. Nearby, the city of San Diego plans to expand a water treatment plant to accommodate its new water recycling program.

“SANDAG heard from the community that a program bringing together the main players in construction and transportation would be an important tool to keep neighborhoods informed,” said Supervisor Ron Roberts, chairman of the SANDAG Board of Directors. “We’re happily fulfilling this need by joining with many of our program partners to form Shift, a program that we hope will be an effective resource for the Golden Triangle community.”

The website ShiftSanDiego.com offers an interactive map of projects, links to resources and a blog that’s been loaded with articles published since February. SANDAG also promised up-to-date information about potential traffic and noise impacts, detours and road closures.

SANDAG, Caltrans, the city of San Diego, UC San Diego and Metropolitan Transit System are partnering on the internet effort.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said living through several years of renovations is easier when one understands the reward that’s coming.

“And for this community, that reward is a neighborhood that offers a vibrant place to live where multiple modes of transportation are available to connect them with the places they want to go — a neighborhood that supports our vision of San Diego as a city of the future,” Faulconer said.

Notices about impacts will also be posted on the @ShiftSanDiego Twitter account.